Dead Love
by Midnightletter13
Summary: Things seem to have finally calmed down in the life of Bonnie Bennett, but when Damon Salvatore begins pursuing her and she meets the mysterious Kol Mikaelson things quickly turn from peaceful to chaotic. What's a poor witch girl to do? Love triangle between Bonnie, Damon, and Kol.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is a story I wanted to write for awhile but never could find the time for it until now. I love TVD, but I feel the Salvatore and Elena love triangle has gotten a little dull, and I thought how interesting would it be if Bonnie (the only female character to date one guy and stick with him) was in the middle of a love triangle. If she had to choose between Damon and Kol who would the powerful witch choose? Read to find out.

**Just Desserts**

_I see you before me you see me before you_

_Never thought that I'd fall in love with you-Chocolat by Emyli_

Bonnie sat meditating against the old willow tree that stood tall and proud next to her Grandmother's home. Her Grams was busy in the kitchen baking an apple pie, the smell of cinnamon wafting out the window and into Bonnie's nostrils. She took a deep breath and sighed, she felt utterly relaxed, a luxury she didn't get to experience very often. Being a budding witch was hard even on a good day and Bonnie found solace in quiet moments like this. But soon Bonnie found her perfect silence interrupted when she heard something heavy land in the tree above her head.

Her heart raced as she looked up in the tree to find Damon Salvatore, sitting on a thick branch and smiling down at her. Bonnie was happy to see the smile wasn't his usual condescending smirk; it was a genuine grin that made him look boyish and innocent, two words Bonnie never would have imagined using to describe Damon. When they first met the only words she could think to describe him with were the ones her Grams taught her weren't lady like for a young woman to say.

But her opinion of him had changed after the incident with the tomb. When she saw how desperately he wanted to free Katherine, and how happy he was when he thought he would finally see her again. Bonnie couldn't help but feel happy for him. Yes, he had committed some terrible acts but it was all out of 140 years worth of love.

When they opened the tomb and discovered Katherine wasn't there her heart had broke for Damon, feeling every drop of his pain and loss. From that night on Bonnie couldn't bring herself to hate him.

"So when not saving the day this is how Bonnie Bennett spends her time?"

Bonnie laughed,

"Meditating is actually really fun; you should give it a try. Who knows you might find some inner peace."

Damon scoffed, whether at mediating being fun or him finding peace Bonnie couldn't tell.

"How's your Grams? I know that spell was a doozy on her, is she alright?" Damon asked, his expression serious.

"She's fine, she was really weak for a couple days but she's doing great now." Bonnie said relieved.

"I'm glad, it would have sucked if she got hurt over Katherine."

Quizzically Bonnie looked up at Damon, bit her lip then asked,

"Speaking of Katherine, are you going to keep looking for her?"

Damon sighed, "I'm done chasing Katherine. I wasted a hundred years chasing her. Years I could have spent with my brother, or being in love with someone I deserve." He paused for along time then said in a melancholic voice, "Maybe that's it."

"What's 'it'?" Bonnie asked.

"Maybe I deserve someone like Katherine, someone who no matter how much I devote myself to will never love me back."

Hearing Damon say this about himself made Bonnie hate Katherine, and this surprised her. Katherine never did anything to her, hell they hadn't even met, yet she hated the woman for causing Damon so much pain.

"You don't deserve Katherine, Damon. You deserve someone who is kind and sincere, not self-serving. Someone who won't bounce from you to your brother like your feelings are a game of tennis, someone who will make you want to be a better man." Bonnie said in one big breath.

Damon sat in the tree staring at her shocked, his eyes glued to hers. Quietly Damon leaped out the tree, landed in front of Bonnie, and took her gently by the shoulders.

"You." He whispered.

"What?"

"I deserve you." Damon said.

Slowly he leaned in towards Bonnie, his nose brushing against hers. Bonnie for the life of her could not move, all she could do was watch as Damon's lips drew closer to hers and it dawned on her that she had wanted this ever since that night in the tombs. She wanted to kiss Damon's pain away, and caress every part of him until he no longer wanted Katherine or anyone else but her. Being a virgin Bonnie didn't really know how to do those things but Damon would teach her, and she would-

"Bonnie!" Sheila Bennett called from the kitchen window. "Come inside girl and have a slice of this pie while it's still hot!" 

Bonnie and Damon both blinked as if they had both been released from a compulsion. Awkwardly Damon let go of Bonnie's shoulders and let his hands fall to his sides. Bonnie just stood staring at Damon in disbelief. Had she really been about to kiss Damon Salvatore? Did she really just consider giving him her virginity? What was going on with her?!

"I, ah, better get home, don't want Stefan to worry." Damon said, then licked his lips. "I'll see you later Bonnie." 

"Yeah, later." Bonnie breathed.

Damon walked away at a brisk pace, and Bonnie watched him until he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

That night Bonnie dreamed of Damon Salvatore.

They stood together on a balcony, she was dressed in a red dress and he a black tux, holding her the way he had in the front lawn that morning. As Damon's strong hands grasped her thin shoulders he leaned in to kiss her, and Bonnie closed her eyes in anticipation. Suddenly she felt herself being pulled away from Damon, and into the arms of another man dressed in white.

This man looked a little older then her, he had brown hair and eyes and was pale as a ghost. His nose, jaw, and chin looked like they were scalped from marble. In his brown eyes was a look that was equal parts arrogance and mischief. To Bonnie the man looked like trouble, a kind of trouble she wouldn't mind having.

Before the dream could continue Bonnie woke up filling a chill on her skin, and looking over saw that her bedroom window was opened. Still somewhat asleep Bonnie trudged out of bed and closed the window quietly so not to wake her Grams. Through the haze of lingering sleep she saw what looked like a crow sitting on the branch closest to her. Bonnie quickly rubbed her eyes and looked again but this time she saw nothing.

Bonnie laughed at herself, shook her head, and went back to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who liked the first chapter, it really encouraged me to keep Dead Love alive (excuse the pun). I hope you will continue to find the story enjoyable.

Preparations

Bonnie woke the next morning feeling completely energized which is strange considering she wasn't much of a morning person, but the events from yesterday had had a strong affect on her. Sheila Bennett was already at the kitchen table sipping her morning tea.

"Good morning Grams." Bonnie said kissing her on the cheek.

"Good morning Bonnie."

As Bonnie sat down at the table Sheila stared at her worried.

"Honey did you sleep well?" She asked.

"Yeah, I slept great." Bonnie answered. "Why?"

"Well last night I heard you walking around your room."

Bonnie stared at her Grams confused, then remembered the open window.

"Oh, I was just closing my window I must have forgotten to close it before I went to sleep." Bonnie reassured her Grams.

Both Bennett women sat silently as they ate breakfast. As Bonnie chewed on a piece of bacon, the dream from the night before kept replaying itself in her mind. Bonnie looked up from her food and asked,

"Grams have you ever had a really vivid dream?"

Sheila put her tea cup down and stared at Bonnie.

"Of course, I have. Before your mother became pregnant with you I dreamed she came to my door step with a little bundle in her arms. When I told her about it she laughed. However, she wasn't laughing when a few months later she told me she was pregnant." Sheila paused, a small smile crinkling the corners of her lips.

"I even dreamed about my husband, a whole year before I met him."

When she heard this Bonnie blushed, and tried to put her head down so her Grams wouldn't see, but was too late. Sheila smiled even wider and took hold of Bonnie's hands.

"Have you been dreaming about someone Bonnie, someone special?"

"Maybe it's nothing." Bonnie mumbled.

"If you were an ordinary girl it could be nothing, but your a Bennett and for Bennett's dreams always mean something." Shelia said.

Bonnie didn't know if she wanted to tell her Grams about the dream or just keep it to herself. How could she tell her Grandmother she was dreaming about Damon Salvatore? Bonnie thought about it and finally decided to tell her the truth...well part of it.

"I keep dreaming about a friend, and in the dream we're more then just friends." Bonnie blushed again then continued. "We come close to being _intimate_ then another man comes into the picture. I've never seen this man before, but in the dream I'm drawn to him. What does that mean?" 

Sheila rested her chin on her knuckles, and thought for a long time. Finally she said,

"It could mean two things Bonnie; either you are meant to be with this _friend_ and this unknown man is just a distraction or an obstacle to test your relationship, or the unknown man is your true soul mate keeping you from making a bad decision by being with this _friend_." She paused then asked. "Who is this _friend_ by the way?"

"Just a friend," Bonnie lied. "A _really_ good friend."

Damon laid on the couch watching the flames in the fireplace dance around. Usually on quiet nights like this he would image the flames were him and Katherine, but now instead of Katherine he saw himself with Bonnie Bennett. The events of the previous morning would not leave Damon's mind. That moment when he held Bonnie had been the most intense moment he had ever felt since he became a vampire. In that moment he truly felt alive.

As he thought about this his brother Stefan walked into the foyer holding a small envelope.

"Someone left a letter on our doorstep, I wonder who it's from." Stefan said.

Completely oblivious Damon kept staring at the flames, remembering how warm Bonnie felt in his hands. Stefan cleared his throat loudly catching his brother's attention.

"What?" Damon asked.

"I was saying someone left us a letter."

Stefan showed the envelope to Damon, and he quickly read the words written on its front:

_To the Salvatore Brothers _

_From, _

_The Mikaelsons _

Stefan broke the wax seal, removed the letter, and started reading aloud:

_Dear Salvatores,_

_My family and I graciously invite you to attend a ball we are holding tonight to celebrate our return to the town of Mystic Falls. My children and I were all born in Mystic Falls, but a family tragedy forced us to leave our wonderful home behind. Now we all feel it is finally the right time to come back, and what better way to do that then to share food, music, and dance with the oldest families of Mystic Fall. You may bring as many guest as you wish, the more the merrier. The only requirement is that all male guest wear black and females red. My children and I are dying to meet you all._

_With love,_

_Esther Mikaelson_

"Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?" Damon asked when Stefan finished reading.

"I don't know, but apparently they use to live here but left for some reason." Stefan stared at the letter incredulously for a moment, refolded it, and put it back into the envelope.

"I think we should go Damon, who knows it might be fun."

Damon wanted to laugh and say something like "Yeah right, whatever" or "Go have fun little brother", but the thought of going to a big dance gave Damon an idea. Maybe he would go to this dance, and maybe there would be a certain girl who wouldn't mind accompanying him. The thought of Bonnie Bennett in a red dress, her arm wrapped around his, made Damon's heart jump.

"Okay, I'll go." Damon said nonchalantly.

"Good." Stefan smiled.

The two brothers spent the rest of that morning preparing for the Mikaelson Ball. Unaware that they would be walking into a lion's den.

The youngest Mikaelson son stood looking out from his balcony, the sunlight warming his skin. He could remember a time when this very same light would scorch the skin off his face, but now it relaxed him. Time could truly change everything.

"Kol" Elijah Mikaelson said, joining his brother on the balcony. "Get in here and start getting ready, we don't have a lot of time to prepare." 

Kol rolled his eyes.

"I think I'll skip this little dance, maybe find some cute girl to spend the time with."

"Absolutely not, this is a special night for mother and if you ruin it by acting like a child I will be forced to punish you." Elijah said evenly.

"Punish me?" Kol mocked. "I'm not five anymore Elijah, I haven't been five in centuries."

"Yet, you still act the same way." Elijah patted Kol on the shoulder. "Be a good sport, for mother." 

"For mother." Kol sighed.

Kol along with his four siblings began preparing for the ball that would drastically change his life forever. For better or worse only time would tell.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **With this chapter all three sides of the love triangle come together. I hope you all continue to read and enjoy.

**The Deathly Ball (Part 1)**

As Bonnie stood in front of the Mikaelson Manor she couldn't believe that she had been cordially invited to attend a party in such a beautiful home. She also couldn't believe who asked to be her date for the night either. As if on cue Damon stepped next to Bonnie and held out his hand.

"You ready to go inside?" he asked.

"Yep." Bonnie lied quickly. She really didn't want to attend this ball for two reasons; one, she was afraid her powers would go crazy during the party and two, she had a really bad feeling about the ball. From the moment she received the letter Bonnie sensed danger, from what or who she couldn't tell but there was something in her bones telling her not to attend this ball.

Yet she was here, and all because of the foolish dream she had had the night before. When Damon showed up at her home asking her to be his date to the ball Bonnie remembered the dream and what her Grams had told her it might mean. Bonnie thought that the two had to be connected and despite her instincts chose to go with Damon to the ball.

There was a part of Bonnie that thought (hoped) that by being with Damon tonight would make them grow closer, and maybe this closeness would be good for both of them.

"Alright let's go." Bonnie said taking Damon's hand in hers.

The two walked hand in hand into the mansion and the first sight that greeted them was the large crowd that had gathered at the base of the spiral staircase. Bonnie could see Elena with Stefan, and Caroline with Tyler, and many other people she had grown up with in Mystic Falls. Bonnie stood with Damon in the large crowd waiting for someone to come down the stairs to welcome the guests. After a few moments a tall, pale woman with long blonde hair wearing a white dress descended the steps.

The woman in white was so beautiful that Bonnie couldn't take her eyes off her. The crowd that just moments before was murmuring quietly, was now dead silent.

"Hello everyone, My name is Esther Mikaelson and I thank you so much for joining me and my children in celebrating our return to Mystic Falls." Esther announced.

Suddenly five people; four boys and one girl came down the stairs and stood side by side next to Esther. They were all pale and beautiful like her, but only the girl and one of the boys had her blonde hair. The other boys all had brown hair.

_These are her kids_, Bonnie thought.

Bonnie took a long look at all of Esther's children, but her eyes lingered on the youngest boy. His brown hair was spiky, his brown eyes wide and searching. What held Bonnie's attention on this one more than the others was that he was the unknown man from her dream. The one dressed in a white suite who pulled her away from Damon was standing now before her, as real as she was.

_Who are you? _Was all Bonnie could ask herself. She didn't know, but wanted desperately to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Hello kind readers, I haven't updated in a while because I have been balancing college and work, but now that I'm between semesters I can dive back into the story. I hope you all continue to enjoy it.

**The Deathly Ball (Part 2)**

Kol stared around at the crowd, surprised at the amount of people who were gathered in their home. When Esther had proposed the ball Kol was the first to argue that no one would show up, but as always his mother had proved him wrong. The men were all dressed in pristine black suits, and the women were all wearing different shades of red dresses. With the Mikaelsons dressed only in white they would be easy to spot in the crowd.

Elijah, Rebekah, and Finn all seemed to be enjoying themselves, even Klaus was having fun chatting up some beautiful blonde girl. Kol however just felt bored, standing around sipping drinks and exchanging pleasantries with strangers wasn't his idea of a good time. All he wanted to do was go somewhere and cause a little havoc, like in the good old days when he was living on his own. Ever since reconnecting with his family Kol had put his urges under lock and key. Tonight he was going to let loose a little.

There were a multitude of victims to choose from, Kol could have slaughtered the whole crowd if he wanted to, but he didn't want to incur his mother's wrath so he would have to settle for one. The only question was who?

As Kol swept his eyes over the guests, looking for a promising victim, he saw someone who made him stop and stare. A brown skinned girl with a heart-shaped face, and olive green eyes was smiling and laughing with her date. There was something about her, Kol couldn't exactly tell what, but there was _something_. As Kol stared at the girl she turned and looked at him and their eyes locked. They held each others gaze for what felt like years, barely blinking. The girl finally looked away when her date, a pale dark haired man, tapped her on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear.

With the connection between them broken Kol took a sharp breath. In all the years Kol had been alive he had never felt anything like that before. Kol felt his chest heaving and tried to calm his breathing, but couldn't. Kol felt suffocated, like he was beneath water. He needed to get out of the house, he needed to get away before he lost it. Kol was running out of the dinning room, not caring that he was bumping into people, and before he knew it he was out the door.

Outside Kol fell on his hands and knees, still gasping for air. Kol bit his lip tell he tasted blood and dug his fingers into the dirt. He probably would have stayed this way the whole night if the green eyed girl hadn't followed him outside.

"Are you okay?" She asked, placing her hands on his back.

Kol flinched at her touch, but then relaxed as he felt the warmth coming from her hands. His breath finally came back to him and he gulped it in gratefully.

"There, you're okay now." The girl said soothingly.

"Yeah." Kol gasped. "I'm okay...I'm okay."

The girl smiled, which made Kol smile. He noticed for the first time that the girl was on her knees, dirt staining her dress. Kol sat back on his behind and the girl moved her hands to his shoulders.

"I'm glad, I was so worried you looked like..." The girl paused. "I'm glad you're okay. My name's Bonnie by the way."

"I'm Kol."

"Kol." Bonnie repeated with a smile. "It's nice to meet you Kol."

"It's nice to meet _you_ Bonnie." Kol said softly.

Once again the two became lost in each others eyes, blocking out the world around them. Their attention was so focused on each other they didn't notice the screams coming from inside the manor, nor did they notice Damon standing there watching them with murder in his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **In this chapter The Ball comes to a close.

**The Deathly Ball (Part 3)**

Damon stood staring at Kol and Bonnie, the two of them sitting on the ground. He had been staring at them for a few minutes and didn't like what he say. The two of them hadn't broken eye contact at all, not even blinking, like they had found the answers to all the questions of the world in each other's eyes. He could hear Bonnie's and Kol's hearts throbbing, like they were both running a marathon. Besides the lingering gaze and the rapidly beating heart what _truly _made Damon furious was just how _happy _Bonnie looked, and knowing she never looked that happy with him.

_So this guy's a Mikaelson_, Damon thought finally taking notice of his white suite, _which means she just met him tonight. _Damon had wanted to spend the evening dancing with Bonnie, just the two of them having fun, but now he just wanted to get her away from this stranger. In the next second Damon was standing at Bonnie's side and, using more force then he had intended, gripped Bonnie's soldiers and picked her up off the ground.

"What?" Bonnie gasped.

Kol got to his feet, his face twisted in anger.

"What are you doing to her?"

"I'm taking her home, though it's really none of your business." Damon said.

Bonnie tried to twist herself out of Damon's grasp but his grip was too tight.

"What is going on Damon?" Bonnie asked.

"I'm taking you home." Damon said and began dragging Bonnie away from Kol. 

Suddenly Damon felt a hard hand grip his throat, and before he could react he was lifted off his feet and thrown to the ground. Damon's body hit the dirt, the bones in his back breaking with a loud crunch. Bonnie looked from Damon, who was lying on the ground in pain, to Kol who was now standing next to her looking eerily calm. For a moment she forgot this was the same man who moments before was lying vulnerable in front of her. Nothing about Kol in that moment looked vulnerable, but everything about him did look murderous and Bonnie found herself stepping away from him slowly.

"What the hell?" Damon groaned, rolling onto his stomach.

"If you handle her like that again I will rip your arms off." Kol warned evenly.

"Kol that's enough." Bonnie said trying her best not to sound scared, "leave Damon alone."

Kol looked at Bonnie with hurt in his eyes and took a step towards her. Damon couldn't tell what Kol intended to do and he wouldn't wait to find out. Moving as fast as he could, Damon flung himself at Kol, and knocked him to the ground. Taking hold of both sides of his face Damon wrenched Kol's head violently to the right, snapping his neck. Damon let go of Kol and smiled at his lifeless form. However, that smile disappeared when he looked at Bonnie who stared at him with her hand covering her mouth, looking shocked and repulsed.

To see Bonnie looking at him that way made Damon feel sick to his stomach. He wanted to explain himself, to make Bonnie understand that he did it to protect her, but before Damon could form the words Bonnie turned her back on him and ran away, leaving him alone.

Stefan stood with Elena in the manor, listening to the guest whispering under their breaths about the discovery that had been made a few moments ago. A couple looking for some privacy went into one of the bedrooms of the manor and found a dead woman lying on the floor. They thought she had been sleeping at first but after they noticed she wasn't breathing the woman let out a scream.

Now everyone in the manor was discussing the dead woman; who was she? How did she die? Was it an accident or was it murder? Stefan had saw the woman and she bared a striking resemblance to Bonnie, so much so that he thought for a horrifying second Bonnie _was _the dead woman. However, after looking longer he noticed some differences; her hair was short and curly as opposed to Bonnie's long and straight style, also the woman had a butterfly tattoo on her right arm.

This whole situation made Stefan uneasy. It couldn't be a coincidence that a woman who looked like Bonnie was found dead in a home that belonged to a family no one knew anything about. Elena was worried also and desperately wanted to find her friend to make sure she was okay, but she couldn't find Bonnie anywhere.

"Do you know where Damon is?" Elena asked.

"He went looking for Bonnie." Stefan said.

"Funny how he left before the woman was found." Elena said feigning ignorance.

"Elena I know what you're thinking, and Damon did not do this." Stefan said, an edge to his voice.

"How can you be sure Stefan?"

"I know Damon and trust me he's changed, he's-"

Stefan stopped talking when he saw Damon walking into the room wearing a horrible look on his face. When Damon was young he would try to be on his best behavior, but sometimes he did things that warranted a scolding from their mother, and after taking such a scolding he would get this look on his face that always made Stefan sad, so sad that after some time he started taking the blame for the things Damon did just so he wouldn't have to see that look on his brother's face. That was the look that was now on Damon's face, and it hurt Stefan's heart to see it. Stefan rushed to his brother's side, Elena close behind him.

"Damon what happened?" Stefan asked, his voice thick with concern.

"Did you find Bonnie?" asked Elena.

"Yeah," Damon sighed, "I found her."

"Is she okay?" Stefan said.

"Well she's not hurt." Damon replied. _That's a lie_, he told himself.

"Where is she?" Elena pressed.

"I don't know she didn't say." Damon said.

Elena wanted to question Damon further, but the conversation was cut short by an announcement.

"All attending guest may I have your attention," Esther spoked loudly from the grand staircase, "because of the unfortunate circumstances that have taken place I feel it is best to cancel the ball for the evening. Thank you for your attendance."

Esther bowed her head and retreated back up the grand staircase where she had came from. Damon couldn't bring himself to look at Esther, the shame was too great, causing a massive pit in his stomach. He wondered how Esther would react when she discovered her son was dead. Damon couldn't help but picture Esther walking into her garden and finding Kol's body there. He pictured Esther cradling Kol in her arms while she wept. Then she would have to go tell her other children their brother was dead. That thought made Damon feel ten times worse. He couldn't image someone telling him that his brother was gone and wouldn't be coming back.

Damon shook his head, as if hoping to shake the very thoughts out of his mind. He hadn't felt like this before. When he was human he did things he regretted, like disappointing his mother and angering his father, but after becoming a vampire he didn't feel regret for a lot of the terrible things he did to others. What had caused him to feel this way now?

_ Bonnie_, was all Damon could think in response to that question. Bonnie was the one who had changed him, and now she was afraid of him. What could he do to get her to trust him again? Damon didn't have an answer.

Damon arrived at the Salvatore house alone, Stefan and Elena had went to Bonnie's house to see if she was there. Damon wanted to go with them, but knew he was probably the last person Bonnie wanted to see. So Damon decided he would go home, get drunk, and hopefully by morning he would have a plan to salvage whatever was left of his and Bonnie's friendship. Even though Damon wanted more from Bonnie, he had to admit that to himself now, he didn't have much hope that would happen now. The least Damon could hope for was for them to remain friends, he couldn't bear the thought of Bonnie not being in his life in some way.

As Damon walked through the foyer, feeling more miserable then he had ever felt in a long time, he saw Elena sitting on the couch. Only it couldn't have been Elena though, she was with Stefan right now, so who...

"Katherine." Damon said.

After what happened at the ball Bonnie had ran straight home. She wanted to be alone, she _needed_ to be alone. Grams had gone to bed early, which Bonnie was thankful for, she didn't want to have to explain why her dress was stained with dirt or why she had dry streaks running down her cheeks.

If she had to be honest with herself Bonnie wasn't just crying because of what happened to Kol, she was crying because of what she lost because of it. She would never know who Kol was, the man she dreamed about before they even met, he would remain a mystery to her now and forever. However, Bonnie didn't just lose Kol, she had lost Damon too.

How could she and Damon continue on as friends...or anything else?

They couldn't, not now. Bonnie had seen the truly darker side of Damon Salvatore, now she had to let him go, and this choice was already killing her inside. The tears were building up again in Bonnie's eyes, but when she opened her bedroom door and saw who was standing in her room the tears dried.

"Kol?" Bonnie gasped.


	6. Chapter 6

**Old Wounds**

Katherine smiled at Damon as he glared at her, slowly getting off the couch and walking towards him. Damon didn't move an inch as Katherine got closer and closer until there was only an inch between them. Damon bit his lip and looked away from her.

"What are you doing here Katherine?" Damon asked.

"I came here to see you...and Stefan." Katherine said softly.

"Yeah right," Damon scoffed, "because we both mean so much to you?"

"Yes, you two were the only men I have ever loved," then she added in a whisper "and the only men who ever loved me."

Damon had to look at her now, he had to see her face to see if she was telling the truth. Seeing Katherine standing before him now was jarring. She looked so much like Elena she could pass for her twin sister, especially with those beautiful brown eyes. However, unlike Elena's eyes which were wide and full of innocence Katherine's were narrower, like someone who was playing chess and calculating they're next move. _Did her eyes always look that way? How come me and Stefan never noticed it before? Was she just good at hiding it or..._

"Stupid." Damon whispered.

"What?" Katherine asked raising an eyebrow.

"You said we loved you, me and Stefan. That's true, we both loved you and because of that we started resenting each other, even turned against our father, and yet the whole time you never loved either one of us."

Katherine looked hurt, or pretended to Damon couldn't tell.

"Damon that isn't true, I loved both of you, very much. You two were the loves of my life."

Damon smiled showing his teeth, "Stefan and me were stupid to love someone like you, especially _me. _Hell my little brother figured it out way before I did. You never really loved us Katherine you used our love for you to manipulate us to keep us around your little finger until you got what you wanted. Then you bailed."

"You know that isn't true Damon. I fled because my life was in danger, I had to. I always intended to come back for you, both of you." Katherine said, her voice calm.

"Then what's kept you?"

Katherine grinned and placed her hand on Damon's chest.

"Oh, some last minute touches, but now that that's out the way we can all finally get what we want."

Katherine grabbed the back of Damon's neck and pulled him into a warm, soft kiss. Damon closed his eyes, the feeling of Katherine's lips against his was intoxicating. How long had he waited for her? For this moment? Wasn't she the reason he had came back to Mystic Falls? Maybe this time things would be different, maybe this time they could have a life together.

With Katherine Damon would be free to do whatever he wanted, he could feed and kill without an ounce of remorse and Katherine would be there with open arms. She wouldn't judge him, of course not, she's the one who taught him how to kill after all.

Katherine wouldn't be like Stefan, she wouldn't tell him he was a good person and try to talk him out of doing what it was in his nature to do. Katherine wouldn't be like Bonnie, she wouldn't make him _want_ to be a better person and feel regret and shame.

Suddenly Damon thought of the night Stefan became a vampire, the night he killed they're father. How cold and dead Stefan's eyes looked as he wiped their father's blood from his mouth. Then Damon thought of Bonnie and the kiss they almost shared under the willow tree.

With a disgusted look on his face Damon broke away from Katherine and shoved her away. Katherine looked surprised and genuinely hurt. _ So she does love me_, Damon thought bitterly.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked.

"You ruined us. Stefan and me, but especially Stefan. You _ruined_ my brother." Damon said through clinched teethe.

"I didn't ruin you, I made you better." Katherine laughed. "You and Stefan were two lonely, motherless boys desperately seeking approval from a useless father. I taught you both how to live, how to embrace every dark part of yourselves and not be ashamed, but most of all I taught you how to love. I did not ruin you."

Damon snorted and shook his head.

"You know what rippers are? They're a special kind of vampire, more feral and blood thirsty then ordinary vampires like you and me. They can't drink a few drops and leave the person alive, no they drain until there's nothing left, then leave their victims in pieces. That's what Stefan is."

Damon sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"This one time when we were little Stefan and I found this wounded bird near our house. It was flapping its wings trying to fly away but couldn't because one was bent. I remember looking at the bird and thinking 'poor thing' and then I grabbed a stone that was lying near by. I was gonna crush it, put it out of its misery, but then Stefan started crying and begging me not to. He said 'we have to help it, please Damon, don't kill it'.

"So I picked the bird up, and Stefan and I spent the whole day trying to help it. The bird died that night and Stefan cried. The next morning I put it in a little box our mother gave us and held a little funeral for it. Not for the bird, but for Stefan. It broke his heart to see that pathetic bird die."

When Damon finished his story Katherine, who had been looking utterly bored the entire time, rolled her eyes.

"What am I suppose to learn from that story Damon?"

"That the boy who once cried over a dead bird, the same boy who wanted to be a doctor because he wanted so badly to spend his life helping people, is now a ripper all because he made the mistake of falling in love with you." Damon spat out.

Katherine giggled, making Damon angrier then he already was.

"If that's true then Stefan really lucked out. Who wants to spend their life surrounded by sick and needy people?" She paused then and licked her lips, "besides ripper Stefan is just so damn cute."

Damon looked at Katherine and felt he was seeing her for the very first time. She wasn't that sweet, innocent girl he and Stefan had fallen in love with. That girl was dead and gone. What stood before him now was a monster of the worse kind.

"Just leave Katherine, I'm not going to run away with you and neither is Stefan." Damon leaned his mouth close to Katherine's ear and whispered. "We. Don't. Love. You. Anymore."

Katherine stared at Damon with blank eyes, her mouth a thin line. Then quicker then Damon could react Katherine reached up, grabbed the sides of his face, and snapped his neck like a twig. Damon fell to the floor, like a rag doll. Katherine looked down at Damon with her lips pursed, her mind already thinking of ways to make him suffer.

In all her 500-years Katherine Pierce had only ever been rejected by one man. This man had broken her heart and ruined her life, but _he_ would be dead soon. Katherine didn't want Damon dead, despite his rejection of her she still wanted him, and Stefan. Katherine had spent years not being able to have what she wanted, and now that she was finally going to be free she refused to be denied.

Katherine would have the Salvatore brothers, and anyone who tried to get in her way would know why she was a force to be reckoned with.


	7. Chapter 7

**Heart to Heart**

Bonnie sat next to Kol on her bed, both of them still wearing the clothes that they had worn to the ball. Bonnie couldn't believe that Kol was in her bedroom, staring at her with a boyish smile on his face, and who would blame her? The last time she saw Kol he had his neck snapped by Damon. Now here he sat with no sign that he was even attacked, his white suite was smudged with brown and green from lying in the ground but besides that he was utterly fine.

Bonnie knew Kol had to be a vampire or something supernatural, but when she had touched him earlier that night she hadn't felt anything. Usually when Bonnie touched a vampire she felt a cold, fluid feeling. Why hadn't she felt that sensation when she had touched Kol?

"Bonnie?" Kol asked.

"Yeah?"

"You have been staring at me for twenty minutes now, I don't mind, but I was sure there would be something you would like to ask-"

"Like how are you still alive?" Bonnie finished for him.

Kol stopped smiling, "Yeah."

"I think I know how: you're a vampire."

Kol looked at Bonnie for a whole minute before replying.

"Yes, that's absolutely right." Kol said impressed. "How do you know?"

"I'm good friends with two vampires." Bonnie frowned, "One of which is the one who broke your neck."

"Ah, I knew it!" Kol exclaimed, "For a moment I thought I was getting soft in my old age. Good to know! Next time I see him I'll give him a real fight."

"Please don't," Bonnie sighed, reaching for Kol's hand. "I really don't want you two killing each other."

Kol stared at Bonnie's hand on his.

"Whatever you want Bonnie." Kol said softly.

Bonnie smiled and squeezed Kol's hand.

"Would you mind giving me something else I want?" Bonnie asked.

"Sure."

"I need to know who you are," Bonnie said, "I want to know as much about you that you are willing to share."

Kol was surprised at Bonnie's request, but without hesitation he began talking.

"Well I live with my mother, three brothers and sister. I'm the youngest, the pup my brother Klaus likes to say. I had a younger brother, named Henrik, but he died."

"I'm sorry. How?"

"Werewolf."

Bonnie blinked, "Werewolf?"

"Before we became vampires we lived in a small village that was always visited by werewolves. We weren't the only family to lose someone to them, but we were the only ones to do anything about it."

Bonnie held her breath as Kol began to tell the history of the Mikaelson Family.

"After Henrik was murdered my mother became obsessed with finding a way to combat the werewolves. She didn't seek vengeance, only a way to prevent losing another child to those monsters. Soon my mother discovered the immortality spell, a spell that not even the strongest witch could perform. Being the original witch and being spurned on with the desire to protect her family she was able to complete the spell. She used the blood of a villager named Tatia, putting the blood in our wine. When we fell asleep our father killed us, and that morning we awoke in transition."

Kol squeezed Bonnie's hand as the memories began flooding his mind, memories he hadn't touched in years.

"I remember feeling a hunger I had never felt before. Everything was heightened; I saw details in things I had never seen before, I was able to smell everything around me, I could tell where my siblings where just from their scent. I had woken up a completely different person. I didn't know what to think of it all, my senses were being overloaded and the hunger started to _hurt_.

"Then my parents explained to me and my siblings what they had done to us. My father made it very clear that we had to drink blood or we would die, and once we did drink we would live forever. He explained how we were immortal, and that nothing could harm us now, not even werewolves. My mother set a large bowl in front of us and I knew from the smell it was blood. Are you okay?"

Bonnie blinked, she has been totally engrossed in Kol's story but to him it looked like she had gone into shock.

"Yes." Bonnie breathed.

"I could stop, I don't you to be uncomfortable." Kol said, and was surprised that he truly meant it.

"No, please I want to know."

Kol nodded and continued.

"Without really thinking about it my siblings and I drank from the bowl. The change was instant; my senses became under control, and the hunger was sated. There was something else though, a small void was now apart of my mind. The more I focused on it I felt cold and unfeeling. This was my humanity switch. In the coming days I learned more about what we were and about our limitations. We needed to drink blood all the time, the sunlight burned us, etc. Some of us adjusted better then others, Finn and Rebekah had a very rough time of it. They missed their normal lives. I think they still do. The only thing I missed was magic. Esther had been teaching me magic from when I was a child, I was the only one of her children who had a talent for it. Now that I was a vampire I could no longer be a witch. Magic was the only thing that made me stand out from my siblings, without it I was nothing special compared to them."

"I would disagree," Bonnie said. "You seem very extraordinary to me."

Kol laughed, "You haven't met Elijah or Klaus." 

"I don't have to."

Kol smiled, feeling giddy all of a sudden.

"Anyway, things were alright for awhile until Mikael disappeared. When he vanished Esther thought it would be a good idea to leave, and so we did. We lived in Europe for a long time, sometimes traveling around on our own, but always coming back together. Esther felt that after many years we should come back to Mystic Falls."

"Come back?"

"This town use to be the village we lived in."

"Huh, so there's always been supernatural creatures here."

"Yes, the place is kinda like a beacon for them."

Bonnie couldn't agree more.

"Well that's my story! What's yours?"

"Nothing extravagant really. I was born and raised in Mystic Falls. My mom moved away, and my Dad travels for business so I stay with my grandmother. I'm a witch, but I don't really have much control over my powers."

"I wish I could teach you," Kol said, his tone a little sad.

"Hey, it's alright I'm sure there's other things you could teach me." Bonnie placed her other hand on Kol's arm.

"Like what?" Kol whispered.

Before Bonnie could answer her cellphone ranged. She reached for it and saw the call was from Stefan.

"Hey Stefan what is it?"

"Have you heard from Damon?" Stefan asked, breathing heavily.

"No, why?"

"I just got home, the door was left open and Damon isn't here. I tried calling him, but he won't pick up his phone."

A feeling of dread started welling up in Bonnie's stomach. "Maybe he just went out for a bit."

"I don't think so. I think...something happened. Will you help me find him?"

"Why me?" Bonnie asked.

"Damon..." Stefan paused. "You're the only friend he has."

Bonnie sighed, her hands were starting to shake. _Something isn't right_, she thought.

"I'll meet you in a moment, Stefan."

"Thank you, Bonnie."

Bonnie hung up the phone and turned to Kol.

"I have to go," she said. "My friend is missing."

"The friend who broke my neck?" Kol asked.

"Yes, that friend." Bonnie mumbled.

"Okay, I'll go with you." Kol announced, happily.

"Why? You don't care about Damon."

"True," Kol said. "However, I do like spending time with you and if that means spending the night looking for a person I don't care for I'm alright with it."

Before Bonnie could respond Kol walked to her window and jumped out, silent like a thief. _What a night_, Bonnie thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Search Begins **

Stefan was sitting on the steps of the Salvatore Boarding House when he saw Bonnie and a man he didn't recognize walking toward him. Every time Stefan looked at Bonnie he couldn't help but think back to the first time he saw her. Bonnie had been so genuine and so kind that Stefan couldn't help but like her immediately. Stefan wondered if he hadn't met Elena would he have fallen in love with Bonnie? _Maybe_.

When Bonnie and the man reached Stefan he noticed she was breathing heavily.

"Did you run all the way here?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah." Bonnie gasped.

Stefan stood up. "Elena's inside, let's go in and talk."

Bonnie and Kol sat across from Stefan and Elena. All of them looked worried except for Kol, who looked down right cheery.

"So when you came home Damon wasn't here?" Bonnie asked.

"No." Stefan answered. "When Damon left the ball he said he was going straight home. Elena and I went to your house to see if you had made it home. Your Grams answered the door and said she had heard you come in so we went back to the boarding house. The door was wide open and Damon wasn't home." 

"Why were you guys checking up on me?" Bonnie asked.

Elena spoke up. "There was a woman at the ball who was found dead." 

"My God!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"She looked a lot like you Bonnie, and I was worried that something had happened to you too." Elena said. "When your Grams said you were home I felt relieved, but then this happened."

Bonnie could tell this night was weighing heavily on Elena's nerves, she really did care about Damon.

"Is there any chance that Damon could be at a bar right now?" Bonnie asked. "Maybe we're jumping to conclusions."

"I don't think so." Stefan said.

Kol who had been silent during all this finally spoke up. "If you want to find him I know a way."

"What?" Bonnie asked.

"Tracking spell, it will tell us where Damon is even if he's being moved. All we need is a map and blood from a relative," Kol stared at Stefan, "that would be you."

"Are you a witch?" Elena asked.

"No, vampire, but I _was_ a witch when I was alive and I did learn a few nifty tricks."

Stefan and Elena stared at each other bemused, and Bonnie couldn't blame them.

"Let's get started shall we?" Kol said.

Later Kol, Bonnie, and Elena were sitting at the dinner table. Kol was teaching Bonnie the incantations for the spell. Stefan came into the room with an old map in one hand and a knife in the other.

"Now that we have everything we need, let's begin. Are you ready Bonnie?" Kol said.

"Yeah." Bonnie answered without confidence.

Kol took Bonnie's hand in both of his. "You can do it, you just have to trust yourself. Self-doubt is a witch's worst enemy."

Bonnie nodded and took a breath as Stefan placed the map on the table. From Kol's direction Stefan sliced his hand with the knife and let his blood drip on the map.

"_Phasmatos Tribum Nas Ex Veras, Sequita Saguines, Ementas Asten Mihan Ega Petous." _Bonnie chanted.

The others watched as the blood pooled together making a big red dot that began moving on the map. The red dot finally stopped on a space outside of Mystic Falls. Bonnie stopped chanting and looked at the dot.

"Why would Damon leave Mystic Falls?" She asked.

"I don't think he left on his own free will. If Damon wanted to leave Mystic Falls he'd be in New York City right now, not just outside the town. We have to find him." Stefan said.

Bonnie looked at the spot on the map and knew Stefan was right. Damon had been taken. By who Bonnie didn't know, but she did know this: the perpetrators were going to pay. That was a promise.

Damon woke up in the dark feeling utterly weak. Slowly he stood up and looked at his wrists, seeing deep cuts in them that were just beginning to heal, by his feet were two pools of dark blood. Someone had drained him, but who? Damon remembered coming home and finding Elena—no Katherine! He had found Katherine and she had broken his neck. In front of Damon was a large iron door with a small barred window. Damon got close to the door and looked between the bars, seeing a large hallway.

"Katherine!" Damon yelled, "Katherine!"

"She's not here," a woman's voice said, "she left a little while ago."

Damon spun around to see where the face had came from and saw someone sitting in a dark corner. Damon took a few steps and when he saw what the woman looked like he nearly gasped. The woman was young, with light brown skin, green eyes, and short curly hair. She wore a red dress and on her arm was a tattoo of a butterfly. This woman looked very familiar, in fact she looked a lot like-

"Bonnie?"


	9. Chapter 9

**The Damned **

Damon sat on the cold cell floor staring with wide eyes at the unknown woman who resembled Bonnie. Who was she? And why was she being kept in this cell with him? The woman didn't even look at him, she just stared at the dirty floor with a miserable look on her face.

"What's your name?" Damon finally asked.

"Brie." she answered, with her hair down.

"Okay, Brie, we have to find a way to get out of here."

Brie looked at Damon and laughed bitterly.

"There's no point in escaping. I'm dead either way."

"What do you mean?" 

Brie was silent a moment then said, "I was at a party. I hadn't brought a date so I was just standing around waiting for someone to walk up and talk to me. Then I saw _her_." Brie sighed, then continued. "She was so beautiful, and she didn't seem to have a date either, but you could tell by how she walked that she wasn't bothered by it. I bet She could have tapped any guy on the shoulder and he would have left with her. You can't imagine how I felt when she walked up and started talking to me. She said her name was-"

"Katherine?" Damon interrupted. 

"How did you know?" Brie asked.

"That's the same woman who brought me here." Damon snorted. "I wonder when she started collecting people. Her M.O. has always been to use and discard."

"Maybe she does have a use for me," Brie sighed, then added in a choked voice, "she made me drink her blood."

Damon blinked. "What?" 

"Then she broke my neck."

Brie stared into Damon's eyes. "I know you know what that means."

"How did you guess?" Damon asked.

"Well when she threw you in here your wrists were cut and you were bleeding badly. Not only aren't you dead, your wrists are healed. So I think it's safe to assume you aren't human."

"That would be a fair assumption."

"You're a vampire, like _her_." Brie said, her voice thick with disgust.

"I'm nothing like her!" Damon growled.

"So you've never killed anyone?" Brie asked slyly. "Never turned anyone against their will?"

Damon thought of Vicki Donovan and bit his lip. "I'm trying to be better. There's...someone who I don't want to disappoint. I want them to know I'm not a monster."

"If what my parents have told me about vampires is true you're far too late for that. You became a monster the moment you gave in and drank human blood. Nothing you do can ever change that. There's no point in trying to impress anyone when you're eternally damned."

"But you see that's the thing, I'm not damned." Damon spoke confidently. "If I was she wouldn't have found anything in me worth caring about. If there is salvation for me, I'll find it because of her."

"Who is this 'her'?" Brie asked.

Damon smiled. "My friend Bonnie." 

"Sounds like you two are more than just friends."

Damon was silent a long moment before saying, "Well, for me at least. Right now she's mad at me. Hell she might not ever want to see me again. But even if she never forgives me, even if she doesn't want me around, I need to prove to her that I can be better than what I am."

"I hope that works out for you." Brie said unconvinced.

As Damon was about to reply with a snappy retort the cell door swung open and, standing in the doorway was Katherine holding a long shining blade in her hand.

"I've think you've stewed long enough. Let's get things started."


	10. Chapter 10

**Trackers**

Kol stared at Bonnie who was a storm of emotions. Fear, anger, defiance, all of these feelings were showcasing themselves on Bonnie's features. Earlier Kol had mentioned that even though the spell had given Damon's current location, it didn't necessarily mean that he was still alive. Kol thought he had been helping, telling the truth so that Bonnie wouldn't get her hopes up, but it had the opposite affect. Bonnie's eyes had fallen to the ground and he knew she was fighting back tears. Kol looked away from Bonnie to Stefan, who glared at him. Kol, who usually responded to death stares with a smile or joke, just bit his lip and looked down. He knew how it felt to lose a brother, so he understood far too well what Stefan was going through.

As for Bonnie...

For some reason Kol hated to see her in pain. He wondered why he even cared about her feelings at all. His entire life all Kol ever cared about was his family and himself. Yes, there had been some women through the years who Kol had developed feelings for, but he never loved them to the point where he would choose their lives over his. Yet somehow Kol felt utterly protective over Bonnie, this girl who he had only met a few hours earlier. For some reason he didn't want any harm to come to her, and if that meant putting himself in harms way Kol knew he would do it in an instant.

As Kol stared at Bonnie all he could think was, _this girl has a hold on me and I kind of like it_.

-x-

Stefan pulled the car over near a grassy field that would have looked beautiful during the bright of day, but just looked ominous in the late hour of the night.

"Okay we're officially in the area where the spell said Damon would be. So how do we find _exactly_ where he is?" Stefan said.

"Well I have a spell for that too, and all we'll need this time is you." Kol pointed a finger at Stefan.

"You need my blood to locate him?"

"No, not blood, your mind. I'll show Bonnie how to create a psychic link between you and Damon so you'll know exactly were he's located."

"Why the hell didn't you just do that before?" Stefan demanded.

"Because this spell is very tricky. If the other person you're making the mind link with is too far away you could fry the person's brain. Best case scenario, you would have gotten the worst migraine you've ever had. Worse case, your brain would have melted and drained through your nose. I used the locating spell first, so we could get into a decent radius of your brother so that wouldn't happen. You're welcome!" Kol ended his explanation cheerily.

"Yeah, well thanks." Stefan said uncertain.

Bonnie turned to Kol. "If this spell could kill Stefan maybe I shouldn't do it. All of this magic is still new for me."

"Remember what I told you. Don't allow doubt to block your abilities. If you tell yourself you'll fail, then you will, but if you tell yourself you'll succeed then guess what?"

"I'll still fail?"

"No," Kol gently grabbed Bonnie's shoulders, "you'll do amazing things, you never thought possible."

Bonnie, through all the fear she was feeling, couldn't help but smile.

"There we go!" Kol exclaimed. "Use that energy, and create the link so we can find your quick tempered friend and get home before sunrise!"

A few moments later Stefan was kneeling in front of Bonnie who had her fingers pressed against his temple.

"Are you afraid?" Bonnie asked.

"No." Stefan replied.

"I would be. I don't think a vampire can recover from a melted brain."

"If anyone else was doing the spell I would be afraid, but because it's you I don't have a worry." Stefan said and Bonnie knew he meant every word.

Bonnie didn't know if it was Kol's encouragement, or Stefan's faith in her, or her desire to save Damon that gave her the strength to successfully complete the spell, but regardless she did and she watched amazed as Stefan gasped and closed his eyes. When he opened them again they glowed a deep silver color and he stared with wide eyes at her, but not seeing her. Stefan stood up and spoke in a hushed tone,

"I see him. I see...Damon."

"Where is he Stefan?" Elena asked.

"A dark room...no...not a room...a cell." Stefan took a breath. "I know where it is."

Stefan took off running at a speed only a vampire could manage and Kol followed after him without a word.

Bonnie and Elena were left alone in the dark field.

_Well isn't that a bitch? _Bonnie thought bitterly, _I do all the hard work and the boys get to save the day and be the heroes. _

"I guess we just wait here then." Elena said, sounding as bitter as Bonnie felt.

"I guess so."

-x-

Katherine had not come into the cell alone. With her was a dark skinned woman with a shaved head who had the same Butterfly mark on her arm that Brie did. Damon stood up and placed himself in front of Brie, shielding her from Katherine and the other woman. The older Salvatore brother tried really hard to look as though he wasn't about to pass out from loss of blood. It was almost convincing, but Katherine knew a poker face when she saw one and she knew Damon was not up for a fight.

"So cute trying to act all brave. No really it's adorable, but I need you to stand aside now." Katherine sauntered toward Damon, the long blade still held tightly in her hand.

"I'm only going to ask you once." Katherine warned.

"So am I!"

Everyone in the cell turned and looked at Stefan standing in the door way, eyes shining like liquid metal. Katherine smiled like a twelve year old fangirl seeing her favorite celebrity, but that smile vanished when Kol stepped up beside Stefan.

"Let him go Katherine," Stefan said,"or you won't leave here alive."

"Oh, I definitely remember you!" Kol smiled, but it wasn't the sweet smile he had given to Bonnie earlier. No, this smile was all sharp teeth.

"You know her?" Stefan and Damon asked in unison.

"Yes, long story, but this wonderful woman here almost ruined my family." Kol took a step forward and Katherine instinctively stepped back. "I was hoping I would find you before Klaus did. The death he had planned for you would have been a blessing compared to the one _I_ had in mind."

"Kol I can explain. If you just give me a chance I can-"

"Be silent now Katerina," Kol said, his pupils dilating.

Katherine obediently closed her mouth.

"This will be long and painful." Kol promised.

"No, it won't." The dark skinned woman spoke up.

Before Kol or either of the Salvatore brothers could do anything the woman chanted a spell that made them all fall to their knees in pain. The vampires watched helplessly as the mysterious woman grabbed Katherine and fled from the cell, disappearing down the dark hallway.

_Once again she gets away_, Damon thought and then everything went black.

-x-

Damon woke up to the sight of Stefan leaning over him, his eyes still shining that strange silver color.

"Hey brother. Cool contacts."

Stefan chuckled. "I'm glad that your sense of humor is still intact."

Damon smiled, then looked over at Kol who was standing in the corner of the room looking rather disappointed. Damon, to say the least, was surprised to see him since the last time he saw the pale brunette he had broken his neck.

"Really Damon? Is that still your go to solution for every argument?" Stefan chided.

"Wait, how did you know-"

"What you were thinking? Bonnie made a psychic link between us. It's how I found you."

Hearing Bonnie's name made Damon think all kinds of thoughts, and seeing Stefan's expression he could tell that Stefan was hearing all of them.

_I hope this doesn't last,_ Damon thought.

"Me too." Stefan said aloud.

"Um, if you two are done with your reunion I would like to ask: who is that girl passed out next to you and why does she look like Bonnie?" Kol said.

Damon stood up quickly and Stefan had to grab his arm to keep him steady.

"Her name is Brie, and I don't know why she looks like Bonnie, but we have a more pressing concern at the moment. She's in transition. If she doesn't drink human blood soon, she'll die."

"From the talk you two had, that's probably what she wants." Stefan said.

_You have my memories too?_ Damon thought, horrified.

"It seems so." Stefan replied.

"Either way, we have to get back to Bonnie and your girlfriend. We did leave them alone and unprotected, which in hindsight was kind of dickish of us." Kol said.

"What about Katherine?" Damon demanded.

"If she's still as cunning as the day I met her, she's somewhere far away by know. Also, the witch that was with her was very powerful, and I don't think we should go up against her for know." Kol said, then walked over to Brie's sleeping form.

In a fluid motion Kol picked Brie up in both arms and walked out of the cell. The Salvatore brothers followed close behind.

_What a damn night,_ Damon thought.

"I'd have to agree." Stefan said.

Damon smiled despite himself. Him and his brother were of the same mind for once. Their mother would have been proud.


	11. Chapter 11

Reunion

In the darkness of the night Bonnie could see three figures coming towards her and Elena. Bonnie, who was leaning against the car, immediately stood up straight.

"Elena, get in the car." She whispered.

"Bonnie?"

"Get in the car if something happens I want you to drive off." Bonnie flexed her fingers and started walking towards the figures.

"What are you doing?" Elena called, her voice hushed.

"Please just do what I say," Bonnie commanded, "I'm not letting another friend get hurt tonight."

Elena stood frozen. The idea of abandoning anyone in danger was a concept Elena Gilbert could not wrap her head around, especially abandoning a close friend. Elena was no fool, she knew if these figures in the dark meant to cause them harm she wouldn't be able to defend herself and Bonnie, especially if they were supernatural. Elena knew all too well how limiting her humanity could be. However, she still couldn't bring herself to leave Bonnie so, instead of doing what she was told Elena ran and stood next to her friend in the dark and prepared to face whatever was arriving with her.

Just as Bonnie was about to turn her head to order Elena to run the figures got close enough where Bonnie could see they weren't enemies. Even better, it was both Salvatore brothers with Kol. Stefan was propping Damon up like a crutch, and Kol was carrying someone in his arms. Bonnie ran to the brothers with Elena not far behind.

"Are you guys okay?" Elena asked.

"I'm fine." Stefan said.

"I'm not, but after a drink or two and a good night's sleep I'll be better." Damon said.

Bonnie smiled and took Damon's face in her hands.

"You had me worried, Damon Salvatore!"

"I know," Damon sigh, "I'll make it up to you."

"Yeah, you better." Bonnie didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so instead she just wrapped her arms around Damon's neck and held him for what seemed like forever. Damon put his free arm around Bonnie and breathed in taking in the sent of her hair, very glad to be alive.

Since becoming a vampire Damon had a life plagued with blood, death, and heart-break. Calm and peaceful moments were rare in a vampire's life. For Damon Salvatore holding Bonnie Bennett under a star lit sky would be the most peaceful moment of his life and it was one he would think about in even his darkest moments.

Kol cleared his throat loudly. "I'm ever so sorry to break up this moment, but I think we're forgetting one thing."

Kol lifted the girl in his arms up and for the first time Bonnie saw the woman Kol had been holding. It was like looking into a mirror, a distorted mirror, but a mirror none the less. The girl's hair was curly, and she had a tattoo, but besides these differences the girl resembled Bonnie in every physical way.

"Who is she?" Bonnie gasped. "Why does she look like me?"

"There was a girl who looked just like you Bonnie who was found dead at the ball earlier tonight. It could be the same girl." Stefan said.

"Her name's Brie, Katherine attacked her at the ball and turned her. I don't know why and she doesn't either, but Katherine obviously has something planned and I think it would be safe to keep her with us." Damon said.

Bonnie kept staring at the girl, her mind racing. Bonnie thought about the girl who looked like her, she thought about the strange feeling she got seeing Kol holding her, and the other feelings she had about her living with Damon. More than anything Bonnie thought how was she going to explain to Gram why she was out past midnight.

_Just when I thought things were getting quiet_, Bonnie thought.

While all this was going on with Bonnie and the Salvatore brothers Klaus was out on a date with a really amazing girl. The girl's name was Caroline. They had met at the ball and Klaus felt something powerful between them. He had to talk to her and talking led to sharing, and sharing led to the two going for a walk around the manor, and this walk somehow led them streets away from the large beautiful home.

The two stood under a streetlight kissing passionately and they took a moment just to breathe and stare at each other. For Klaus this was strange, he hadn't loved anyone since...well he didn't like thinking about it. Understandably, the last girl he had gave his heart to had broken it _badly_ and since then Klaus had abstained from dating. However, now Klaus felt like he could spend the rest of his life with a girl who he had just met.

This was a strange night indeed.

Klaus smiled at Caroline and out of the corner of his eye he saw a dark figure standing down the road. There was a moment when Klaus thought he recognized the figure. However, the next moment he saw the figure raising its arm and saw it was holding a crossbow. Klaus pushed Caroline out of the way as an arrow soared through the air and struck Klaus in the heart. Caroline screamed as Klaus hit the ground, arrow in chest, and the figure took off at a blinding speed.

Caroline cried and cradled Klaus' head in her arms. Through her hysteria she didn't notice how his skin was turning gray, or that his veins were bulging through his skin. No Caroline didn't notice any of this.


End file.
